It wasn’t long ago that it was generally accepted as fact that
human infants are not aware of pain; some people still believe that.
Wishful thinking? When talking with an older person about pain, I
happened to mention something about the suffering endured by people of
another race in a foreign country. I never expected the comment she
made next: that she felt pain more intensely than a person of that
other race! It’s as though some people believe that there is a
hierarchy of sensitivity to pain; and of course they are always at the
top, with “lesser” humans below them, followed by other animals in
descending order – probably depending on whether the animals are pets!

In order to justify their abuse of other creatures, some people try
to “prove” that certain animal species don’t feel pain – fish and
lobsters are two that come to mind. Others try to prove that they do
indeed feel pain. Take fish as an example. I don’t understand how anyone
can put a hook through a living creature – a worm, for example – in
order to fool and take the life of another living creature – a fish.
Using such trickery is just plain dishonest and cruel.

When there is even the slightest possibility of pain for another
being, I try to live by this rule: It is better to err on the side of
compassion and assume that the “other” does indeed feel pain or
discomfort. Give others the benefit of the doubt.

"Joyful Curmudgeon"
An oxymoron?
No! I see all the beauty of God's creation and I'm joyful. At the
same time, I see all the suffering and corruption going on in the
world, and feel called to help expose and end it so that we may have true
peace and compassion.